2024 Ovelist check point 1 - April

We’re a third of the way through 2024 and it’s time to see where I am. The original plan is here. 

This is the Ovelist showing progress or not as the case may be on each project, indicated by the size of the ticks (ooh err missus)!

  • Imperial Romans, 1st Century. A.D.  This was the only new project on the list and I hadn't set any specific objectives.  I did a test paint on a couple of figures and have been prepping some of the Ancient German warriors during April.  This will be one of my main projects for the rest of 2024 and probably into 2025. 
  • Late-Romans.  Since I started this mid-way though 2023 it's been my main focus. I set a few specific tasks:
    • Complete late-Roman spearmen - Completed 13 late-Roman infantry with another 2 in progress.  I've also completed  another 2 Gothic/Germanic warriors. 
    • Complete Armoured/Command figures (18 to do) - Completed the 12 command figures and started on the 6 armoured warriors.
    • Add more missile troops for both forces (number to be determined) -  Completed 1 Gothic/Germanic archers with another 2 Romans in progress.
    • Add cavalry - I will add some cavalry at some point but for the moment I'm taking a break as I have enough to have a game with and I need to work on something different!
  • Dark Ages/Norse Age (28mm) - this is a slow burner but I'm happy with my progress:
    • Add more figures - Completed 6 command figures and 1 archer.
    • Collect appropriate character and monster figures (for Ragnarok) - Nothing done here.

I've got a sprue of Victrix Vikings and a few Dark Age Archers left and I'll just fit these in as and  when I fancy doing them.  I'm waiting on Victrix to release their Rus set to see where I go with this project.  I also really like the look of the upcoming Hobday and Hicks fantasy range which could fit in.

  • Verrotwood -  a new game for me,  
    • Finish off the two cults I started on in December - Completed one cult (the Wisentii) and I've started on the second cult and should have these done and in action in May.  
    • Make more cults - This will be done when I get the inspiration.
    • Add some creatures - I've started on a couple of kit bashed creatures and dug out all those suitable creatures from other collections. I may not need to buy much. 

I also bought Verrotwood the Old West in March, I have loads of suitable figures  for this already.

  • Second World War Partisan Warfare (28mm) - as well as straight games set in Nazi occupied areas of the Soviet Union, I wanted to introduce a folk horror/Slavic mythology element.  
    • Continue adding more units - Completed a squad of SS security troops. 
    • Add horror miniatures  - Nothing done here.  
    • Work on rules - I'm consolidating my ideas and want to start working on these in the summer.  
  • Second World War Italy 43-45 (15mm) 
    • Take stock of collection, possibly rebasing and add support options with a view to using Chain of Command rather than Bolt Action as my main WW2 platoon rules - I've been looking at the collection and doing more  research and have expanded this out to being Second World War Mediterranean.  I've also been studying the Battlegroup rules which appeal a lot. 
    • Work on bases for the MDF Italian buildings and make other theatre specific terrain  - Nothing done here. 
    • Repair and repaint water tower building - Nothing done here
    • Potentially add more units and support options - I've bought a few German afvs specifically for this theatre which came through at the end of April so haven't been touched yet.
  • Terrain 
    • Make terrain/scenic pieces that can be used for any of my 28mm/32mm collections.  I particularly want to focus on creepy woodland terrain - Nothing done here. 
    • Work on MDF ruined buildings and urban terrain in 20mm that can be used for any post industrial games (WW2 and Post-Apocalyptic) - I've done quite a lot with this.  I built a load more rubble scatter pieces, added more weathering to the Berlin  buildings and painted some cobblestone prints.  Always more to do on this.
    • Add more terrain pieces as needed in 15mm and 6mm - Nothing done here.
  • 28mm Sci-Fi - something totally new for me.  
    • Complete the 3D printed Sci-Fi figures I bought in Spring 2023 - I've decided to cancel this project as there's so many other projects I'd rather work on.  I don't have the inclination to build or the space to store specific terrain to make it look like a proper Sci-Fi game rather than a regular game using different figures.  I really like Space Weirdos and I can use modern and Warmachine figures if I want a game.  If I did a Sci-Fi project I think it'd be smaller scale with vehicles maybe using Xenos Rampant and Pendraken figures.

As a replacement I'm going to fill this square with Second World War Eastern Front (20mm).  It's been a consistent interest for me since my earliest gaming days.  I added another squad of German infantry in January, I've got some more figures and tanks to do and I'll always be adding to the collection so I should have it on here.  

  • I allowed a space for the inevitable new project marked as ? on the Ovelist.
    • I'm going to reinstate the South African Border Wars project that I started on last year and you can read about here and here.  I'm still very interested in it I just got waylaid somewhere!  My first step is to order the rest of the miniatures.  I'm also becoming interested yet again in a Cold War project so that may also appear.  

I had a couple of things not on the Ovelist but that I wanted to do:

  • Finally finish the 1/48th Sopwith Camel model - Nothing done here.
  • Paint up the four Burrows and Badgers miniatures  -  I completed all four of these, thoroughly enjoying doing them.  I’ve since bought another five!

And here's the new "doing" Ovelist for April onwards: 

  • The starting numbers for the year were: 
    • 128 28mm; 10 20mm and 171 15mm (a more careful count up showed it wasn't 152).  
    • I'm now at 73 28mm - 52 completed, 8 sold and 5 purchased; 26 20mm - 9 completed and 25 purchased and 171 15mm - no change.
I wrote in December "I really want to keep my miniatures expenditure to a minimum for the first period of the year" and I'm pleased to say I've kept to that. Prior to Salute I hadn't bought any miniatures since November and I only added 30 new figures to the pile at the show.   

Gaming

I split the gaming out from the "doing". And here is where it's not gone to plan as I've not played any games.  The crux of the matter is I don't have a dedicated playing space and it's a pain for me to have a game.  Everything has to be taken out and set up, other bits of the house rearranged and it all seems too much effort and takes too much time.  Getting a block of free hours to do this and play is a rarity.  I have a dedicated painting space so my hobby time is mainly spent "doing" as it's easier. 

However, I have revised the gaming Ovelist.  Realistically my capacity for learning new rules isn't endless, therefore I've been more generic with the updated version.  Rather than committing myself to specific rules I've just put genres or periods that I want to play.  For example, I've amended the Chain of Command box to be WW2 new rules/scope as as I may play Second World War with Rapid Fire,  Battlegroup, Chain of Command or bash out a game of Bolt Action.  

Here's the new gaming list:


I've also not done much on my blog this year.  As I wrote back in December I knew the first part of the year would be challenging for time and some things would slip.  I do want to get back to posting more regularly and I also want to improve my miniatures photography which I've never been happy with. 

Comments

  1. Ray Rousell3 May 2024 at 18:35

    That's very organised Andy! But I see no Ottoman's?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dr Beard3 May 2024 at 19:14

      Hahaha. Maybe next year Ray, if I stop going down too many rabbit holes! It's been a long time ambition but something else always pops up to distract me.

      Delete

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